A video has surfaced today on LiveLeak, of the engine cowling falling off a Sky Airline Airbus A319 taking off from Santiago International Airport in Chile.
Here’s the video:
As you’d expect, the plane had to return to the airport for an emergency landing.
Whoever uploaded the video to LiveLeak is exaggerating a bit when they say “the engine rips apart.” Instead, the cowling just wasn’t latched correctly before departure, and flew off. So it wasn’t the engine as such, but rather just one of the coverings.
This also isn’t the first time this has happened, as I recall seeing this several times on similar narrowbody Airbus aircraft. The airline insists passengers weren’t at risk, and I’m no expert at aviation safety, so I don’t want to say that isn’t true. That being said, I’d have to assume that if the engine cowling flies off and hits the plane in the wrong way/at the wrong time/in the wrong place, it could indeed have some grave results, no?
Fortunately everyone was okay, and passengers were rebooked on another flight.
Quite a video, nonetheless!
(Tip of the hat to Todd)
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